Reviews
Reviews of rifle scopes, red dots, pistols, rifles and PCCs, forced reset triggers and selectors, and carry gear, sorted by product type. Each section lists the newest review first.
Arken EP5 5-25x56 Review: Hands-On With the Gen I FFP Scope
We bought the original Arken EP-5 5-25x56 in 2024 and shot it on a 6.5 Creedmoor AR-10. It is easy to zero and a lot of scope for the price, with a soft image at 25x, a tight eyebox, light turrets, and 39.2 ounces of weight.
Vector Optics Continental 2-12x44 FFP Review: 200 Rounds
Two hundred rounds through the Continental x6 2-12x44 RAR. The glass and the VET-RAR 2 reticle punch far above the price, Vector includes 34mm rings and a spare turret in the box, and the 2x floor means you should plan on an offset red dot.
Osight XR Red Dot Review: Enclosed RMR Footprint Tested
Hands-on with the Osight XR mounted on a Ruger RXM. Enclosed emitter, RMR footprint, switchable 2/6 MOA reticle, magnetic charging cover, and a $299 street price that undercuts the Holosun 509T by $250. 1,000 rounds across training and competition, no loss of zero.
Holosun AEMS Pro X2 Review: 500 Rounds on a KAC SR-15
Five hundred rounds with the AEMS Pro X2 on a Knight's Armament SR-15. The wide square window is the reason to buy it, the multi-reticle and Solar Failsafe feature set is hard to beat at the price, and the proprietary mounting pattern is answered by the Unity FAST AEMS.
Osight SE MOS Review: Glock 47 Install and Range Sight Picture
Hands-on Osight SE MOS review on a Glock 47: plate-free install, factory-sight co-witness, 200-round range test, zero retention, and SCS-MOS comparison.
Holosun 509T X2 Gold Review: 1,000 Rounds on a Glock 47 MOS
The gold-reticle 509T X2 ran 1,000+ rounds on a Glock 47 MOS through training and competition without a failure or a shift in zero, and the gold dot is a genuine daylight upgrade over red. The adapter-plate mounting stack is the one real drawback.
Holosun SCS Carry vs EPS Carry: 1,500-Round Owner Review
Roughly 1,500 rounds and two years of daily carry across both Holosun enclosed-emitter dots. The SCS Carry has the bigger window and lighter body, the EPS Carry has the replaceable battery and a red option, and about $70 decides it.
SIG P211-GTO Review: 500 Rounds and Which Variant to Buy
Roughly 500 rounds through a SIG P211-GTO, including USPSA-style club matches. The balance, recoil, and trigger are the real thing. Which GTO trim to buy, why the factory dot window is the weak point, and the one division rule that decides the whole purchase.
Dan Wesson DWX Review: 1911 Trigger, 19+1 Capacity
The Dan Wesson DWX grafts a 1911 single-action trigger onto a double-stack CZ-pattern steel frame, delivering 19+1 capacity and a 3.5 lb break for around $1,520, well under a base Staccato.
HK CC9 Review: 500 Rounds, Quality Questions at $699
A 500-round owner review of the HK CC9, HK's first US-made micro-compact. Live-fire reliability was reasonable, but a trigger that needed a break-in to reset, a backstrap that would not seat flush, and a magazine follower that dislodges in the dirt raise real quality questions for a $699 HK that does not clearly out-shoot a cheaper P365 or Glock 43X.
FN 309 MRD Review: FN's $549 Easy-Rack Budget Carry 9mm
FN's first budget pistol, the $549 309 MRD, brings an easy-rack slide that racks 25% easier than the 509, reduced-force magazines, and a no-plate optic cut for Shield RMSc and DeltaPoint Pro footprints. We break down the specs and how it stacks up against the Shield Plus, MAX-9, Glock 43X, and P365.
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 Review: Fun Range Toy, Risky Carry
Hands-on with the Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0 .380. Soft recoil and 10+1/12+1 capacity make it a fantastic range gun, but a very light trigger, a stiff manual safety, and a shaky early-production QC reputation keep it off my carry rotation.
Glock Gen 6 Review: New Grip, Worse Trigger, Flawed Optic Cut
Five months in, the Glock Gen 6's RTF6 grip is the only real upgrade. The trigger regressed from Gen 5, the factory sights still break, and the plate-mount optic system loses zero. A Springfield Echelon or Ruger RXM is the better buy.
Ruger RXM Review: 1,500 Rounds With the Magpul Glock 19 Clone
Hands-on with the Magpul-designed Glock 19 clone. Past 1,500 rounds across range work and local club matches, zero malfunctions, no break-in (which is more than my Gen 5 Glocks managed). Multi-footprint optic cut, suppressor-height co-witness sights, PMAGs in the box, and a Strike Industries chassis that turns it into a PDW.
Daniel Defense M4A1 Block II: Best Forced Reset Trigger Host
500 rounds, zero malfunctions, and last-round bolt hold-open on every magazine. Why the Daniel Defense M4A1 Block II is the host our forced reset trigger lives in: a factory M16-profile bolt carrier, carbine-length gas behind a 14.5-inch cold hammer forged barrel, a heat-sinking RIS II quad rail, and an H3 buffer.
Taurus RPC 9mm Review: $939 Roller-Delayed PDW Tested
A roundup of the published Taurus RPC reviews. The roller-delayed 9mm PDW shoots flat, prints sub-2-inch groups at 25 yards, and has run reliably in early testing, all for $939.99 ($1,098.99 braced), undercutting the Springfield Kuna by $200. We cover the verdict, the criticisms, and how it compares.
SIG P365-FLUX TACKIT Review: $1,720 Pocket-PDW Tested
Hands-on with the SIG P365-FLUX TACKIT factory package. Snappy, unpleasant to shoot, brace jabs you in the cheek, slide reciprocates close to your face. None of that matters. The dot does not move off target, you get rifle-class hits from a holster-sized footprint, and SIG ships it complete with a ROMEO-X Compact, FOXTROT 1X light, four mags, and a Flux holster for ~$1,720.
SIG Spear LT 11.5" 5.56 Review: 1,000-Round Test Results
Hands-on review of the SIG Spear LT 11.5 inch conversion kit after 1,000+ rounds. Excellent suppressed performance and reliability, but QC issues require attention out of the box.
Partisan Disruptor FRT Review (The Triggered Company) 2026
Hands-on review of the Partisan Disruptor FRT (now sold by The Triggered Company): our launch unit against the current revision, all three selector options photographed, installation, compatibility, and how it stacks up against the LAT and Rare Breed.
Triggered Company LAT Review: 500 Rounds With the 3 lb FRT
Hands-on review of The Triggered Company LAT forced reset trigger: a very soft 3 to 3.5 lb single-stage semi-auto break with no defined wall, 500 rounds of PMC X-TAC with zero malfunctions in a Daniel Defense Block II, and how it stacks against the current-revision Disruptor.
Arc-Fire V2 Review: A Big Upgrade Over the V1 Selector
Hands-on with the A.S. Designs Arc-Fire V2 Ambi Kit (0-45-180) installed in a Sig MCX Spear LT with a Radian lower. The V2 trades the V1's skinny low-profile lever for a taller, more tactile fin, and the 0-45-180 throw is the right config for competition shooters running forced reset.
AS Designs ARC-Fire Review (2026): Forced Reset Selector Tested
Hands-on review of the AS Designs ARC-Fire forced reset selector after 400 suppressed rounds on a SIG MCX Spear LT 11.5 with Geissele SSA-E. MCX install tips, safety selector complaints, and comparison to Partisan Disruptor.
Atrius FRS Review (2026): Drop-In Forced Reset Selector for AR-15
The Atrius FRS is a drop-in forced reset selector that delivers rapid semi-auto fire at $249. Unlike FRT triggers, it works with your existing mil-spec FCG and reduces rifle wear.
NeoMag Review 2026: Gen 2, Alias Belt & Beltless Carry
The NeoMag Gen 2 ($54.99) holds a spare magazine inside a pocket on two neodymium magnets and reads as a folding-knife clip from outside. Full review of the lineup: Gen 2 vs the $44.99 Original, the Alias Belt ($109.99), the Beltless Receiver V2 ($55.99), and the Tac-Trap ($35.99), plus how to size one for your carry gun.
Arc'teryx Kyanite Tatsu Review: Tactical CCW Fleece
Arc'teryx ships the $140 Kyanite Lightweight Jacket in Tatsu olive: a flat, ranger-green-adjacent tactical colorway on a soft Torrent stretch fleece, with enough drop when sized up to work as a PNW concealed carry cover garment. Not the standard Kyanite's Polartec, despite what most listings claim.
Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Review: Best Everyday Tactical Watch
A hands-on owner review of the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED 45mm. It is the most practical Garmin for civilian shooters: light, bright, and built around a red flashlight that beats the tactical green NV light. The only real gaps are onboard maps and a roughly one-week battery.
Radian Ramjet Glock 43X Review: 500-Round Test
Hands-on review of the Radian Ramjet + Afterburner compensated barrel for the Glock 43X MOS. Recoil reduction, accuracy, flash, concussion, holster fit, and whether it belongs on a carry gun.